


What's Your Biggest Fear?

by TheForrestofFanfic



Series: The Avengers: Day In Day Out [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fear, Flirting, Mentor Natasha, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Restless Natasha, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 11:48:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10718766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheForrestofFanfic/pseuds/TheForrestofFanfic
Summary: Natasha can't seem to get comfortable without Bruce so she goes off to his lab to find him only to bump into Peter Parker which gets her thinking.





	What's Your Biggest Fear?

 

Natasha lay in bed, on top of the covers, meticulously reading a paragraph of a book she had _not_ read 15 times. She shifted from position to position unable to get comfortable and finding her usual perusal of literature rather more difficult than normal. She let the book close and discarded it by her bedside drawer on the pile with the rest of her unfinished books which all had bookmarks sticking out of various pages in each book. Nat exhaled deeply and sighed before shaking her head and deciding to leave the confines of her room and find Bruce.

He’d gone, as he did regularly, to the lab. He was a scientist, what else could she expect from him? His passion resided in a love of the factual and proven though their lives jumbled that up a little however she felt that along with Tony he enjoyed his work even more because of it.

The moonlit night reflected through the clear glass window and Natasha moved silently through the compound, her steps to the lab were completely automatic and imprinted.

“Miss Romanov.” She spun instantly and held her glock in front of her. No one was there. “Up here Miss Romanov.” Her eyes darted upward to see a boy dressed in red and blue stripy pyjama bottoms and a white vest clinging to the ceiling.

“Parker!” She hissed. “I could have shot you, what the hell are you doing up so late?” The young man let himself fall and dropped quietly to the floor. She’d been teaching him how to be more stealth-like something he had not mastered before he came to the Avengers compound.

“Well, it’s kinda stupid. You probably don’t want to hear it. Goodnight Miss Romanov.” He turned but before he could slip away she held his forearm and he twisted his head for a moment and she saw tears prick his eyes.

“I don’t think it’s that stupid Peter.” She brought him over to the wall and sat pulling him down with her. “Tell me what’s going on?”

“Well, Miss Romanov-”

“Just call me Natasha for now Peter but if I hear you calling me that on the field I’ll have you in sparring for weeks.” She smirked as his eyes grew momentarily wide.

“Right well, um, Miss – ah Natasha, my Uncle…he-he uh, was murdered and it was my fault and I have – I have nightmares about it sometimes so I go for a walk.” He rubbed at his neck momentarily looking away.

“Well Peter, emotions have never really been my thing. If you ever spoke to Bruce about me he could tell you that.” He smiled a little and she matched him. “Though I do know murder better than most and you’re not to blame, you couldn’t have known.” She raised her hand to him before he had chance to reply. “You’re afraid the ones you love will be killed, and worse, because of you. But you can’t live like that Peter because it’ll destroy you.”

“I’m scared Natasha.” The boy was only 16 and he was already being thrusted into a world of death and decay, she wasn’t particularly surprised he wasn’t coping well.

“I know Peter but scared is good, it keeps us alert and keeps us fighting. You hold onto that piece of knowledge and you’ll go far, you may not save everyone but you’ll be a good hero.” Peter concentrated hard on the floor and Nat watched him go over her advice on a loop. “You may even be a good Avenger.” She allowed herself a small smile as he perked up and grinned bearing his teeth.

“Thank you Natasha.” He lifted is arms to give her hug but quickly put them down.

“Come here but if you tell anyone, especially Stark, I’ll string you up by your own webbing.” His smile dropped at her dead serious look before her playful smile returned and he hugged her quickly before leaping off down the hall way back to his room.

Natasha wished she could have what he had. All that life and youth and love for the world he lived in but she couldn’t. She couldn’t have that after the Red Room took that from her, after S.H.I.E.L.D. took that from her – her youth was gone and she hadn’t even noticed until it was too late.

“I didn’t think you liked him.” Her face spun to see Bruce leaning against the wall next to the lab down the hall. That was twice she let herself be caught unawares – she felt too safe in this compound.

“Whatever gave you that impression?” She swiftly got up and waltzed over to him putting a slight swing in her hips relishing how he watched her. She wasn’t in anything scandalous, just a robe, a light t-shirt underneath and some soft shorts but she still managed to captivate him.

“He’s come to the medical room plenty of times with breaks you gave him.” He countered as he stepped towards her slipping off his glasses.

“That’s how I show affection.” Her fingers lightly brushed against the hair on his arms and he moved it away giving her a playfully stern look.

“Should I be worried?” His small smile was growing as his hands sunk into his pockets and they walked back to her room.

“No I have other ways of showing affection.” She flirted flawlessly taking pleasure as he noticeably gulped and cleared his throat quietly. She didn’t think he could ever keep up with the relentless flirting and endless smouldering looks she could give him.

He followed her into the room their fingers delicately tangled as she led him to the bed and she stripped herself of her dressing gown. He pulled back the covers for her and they sank deeply into the mattress and snuggled close. Suddenly she felt the need to ask him a question, one that had been prompted by young Mr Parker.

“What’s you biggest fear?” She asked in a voice that could barely be considered a whisper. He regarded her strangely for a moment as if the answer was obvious.

“Probably hurting you when I’m the Other Guy or worse when I’m just me.” Bruce couldn’t meet her eye for a moment but she soon lifted his chin up to retain his eye line.

“Hey, you won’t do that. I know you won’t do that to me.” He seemed unsure and she knew it would probably never change but for now she simply planted a chaste kiss on his lips.

“And what about you Natasha? What’s your biggest fear?” She thought for a moment, though she had expected the reversal of the question she hadn’t really given much thought to the answer.

“You.” She suddenly replied.

“Me?” He shifted uncomfortably and put a little distance between them though she pulled him back by his shirt.

“I’m scared that one day you’ll look in the mirror and see yourself as I see you. You will realise just how amazing you are and that you deserve better than me…” He was about to reply when her hand came up to interrupt him. “I’m terrified you’ll leave…again.”

There were no tears in her eyes, no water attempting to break through the dams of her eye lids. There was just her fear and a worrying amount of surety that perhaps he could do it again. That he would leave her like he had before.

“Natasha, you know I’m sorry about before but I can only promise you that I’m not planning to go anywhere without you and if I do, you have free reign to drag me by the big green ear and bring me right back to you.” The last part made her grin a little and she reached for his hand and he threaded them together like knots. He pulled her in for a lingering kiss, like a promise to her and she could do nothing but believe him.


End file.
